When Ema Shiroma-Chao received the national New and Emerging Professionals Award, it was a moment years in the making — from her childhood in Hong Kong, to studying violin in Montreal, to helping international students launch careers from Memorial University.
Presented by the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services, the award honours professionals working in student affairs and services for less than five years who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, growth and potential.
Simply being nominated by her colleagues Danielle Jackson in Career Development; Jennifer Browne in Student Life; and Chris Hibbs and Lynn Walsh in the Internationalization Office, was an honour in itself, she says.
“It’s already rewarding to help students succeed, so the fact that they thought to nominate me is really meaningful,” she said.
A global perspective
Her journey has spanned continents and cultures.
Her mother is of Japanese descent, her father is of Chinese descent and she spent her early years in Hong Kong. She then moved to the unceded territories of the hən̓qəmin̓əm̓ and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh speaking peoples, in British Columbia.
Her upbringing gave her a unique set of skills and experiences she now uses to support international students looking to find their footing in a new place.
“I grew up in a multilingual setting surrounded by a vibrant international community. Having moved around, I’ve come to understand how our relationships with place, language and identity form our perspectives.”
Choosing to forgo a conventional career path for a more immersive, experiential journey, she relocated to Tiohtiá:ke (Montréal) to study violin performance at McGill University. While eager to keep music in her life, she decided she was not inclined to pursue a solo music career.
Combining her interests in culture, language, music and the art of teaching and learning, she decided to complete a degree in education at Queen’s University, while performing with the Kingston Symphony.
“[Students] don’t need to face uncertainty alone.”
Teaching French and music came with its own set of challenges.
“I was figuring out how complicated careers can be; even within the teaching field, every province does things differently,” she said.
She eventually returned to McGill — this time as a staff member with the Faculty of Arts. She took on a range of responsibilities related to communications, stakeholder engagement, administration, finance and event co-ordination.
This blend of skills, along with her volunteer and leadership experience, led her to a new opportunity.
From music to mentorship
Taking a chance on a dual career in Newfoundland and Labrador, she joined the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra as a violist while working in the public school system, eventually teaching English as an additional language to refugee youth.
She then worked as an employment program facilitator with the Association for New Canadians.
Now, she works with both Career Development and the Internationalization Office at Memorial, helping students and alumni explore their own career paths.
She recently earned her designation as a certified career development practitioner and co-ordinates work-integrated learning placements through the award-winning Professional Skills Development Program.
The program is a free, non-credit program that equips international students with the skills and knowledge needed to transition to the Canadian workplace.
Advice for the journey
For those seeking career advice, she recommends taking advantage of programming, events and resources offered through Career Development.
She encourages students and alumni to keep up with technology, proactively build professional networks and seek career mentorship.
“Given that most career paths are now non-linear, students sometimes come in feeling lost,” she said. “But they don’t need to face uncertainty alone. Support is here, and we care deeply about helping students find their way.”
